The Canadian Biodiversity Institute (CBI)
is coordinating the Great Canadian Bio-Blitz to be held in communities across Canada in 2001. The goal of the Bio-Blitz is to involve over 100 communities and thousands of Canadians in taking a valuable local level snapshot, across a broad taxonomic spectrum, of the state of biodiversity in this country. The Bio-Blitz is a unique activity which encourages initiative and leadership at the local level to help achieve goals set out in Canada's National Biodiversity Strategy.

What is a Bio-Blitz?

The Bio-Blitz is a community-based volunteer initiative linking science, education and public participation. The activity brings together members of the public with local specialists (both amateur and professional) in taxonomy, natural history and ecology. The objective is to survey an area, and identify and record as many species as possible from as many taxonomic groups as possible in any 24-hour period in May, June or July.

 

Four Bio-Blitz Experiences

Pilot Bio-Blitz - Ottawa, 1998

The first Great Canadian Bio-Blitz was held in Vincent Massey Park in Ottawa. This large urban park has both landscaped and semi-wild areas and borders the Rideau River. It experiences fairly high human usage and was chosen as a site for the pilot partly because of its accessibility as well as its potential range of biodiversity. A smaller area at the Central Experimental Farm nearby was also included.

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